Valve closure means



United States Patent ()filice 3,079,125 Patented Feb. 26, was

3,679,125 VALVE CLGS RE MEANS Edward J. Tischier, St. Paul, and Thomas .F. Seheeneeker, North St". Paul, lviinm, assignors to Union Tank Car tC-empany, Chicago, iii, a corporation of New .lersey Filed Italy 25, E61, Sier. No. 126,650 3 Qiaims. (Cl. 251333) This invention relates to a float valve of the type adapted to be submerged in liquid in a container or tank and particularly to improved closure means operatively connected to a float for controlling the flow of liquid into and out of the regenerant tank of base exchange water treatment apparatus.

In water treatment apparatus of the automatic type regenerant supply tanks containing float valves are usually connected by one or more conduits to the treatment apparatus, and make-up water or other fluid is alternately supplied to the regenerant tank and the regenerant solution withdrawn from the tank through the valve. The withdrawal of regenerant is usually at sub-atmospheric pressure under control of the float actuated valve. Difficulties arise in the operation of such valves when the suction created in the valve chamber is in sufficient to pull the valve closure member oif its seat at the start of the brine draw operation. Such ditliculties are caused by the sticking of the closure on its seat and fact that the float tends to hold the valve in its closed position. There is also the problem of securely sealing the valve when under superatmospheric presure during long periods of time between regeneration or other treatment cycles. During these long periods even a slow leak in the regenerant tank refill valve will cause troublesome overflowing and loss of regenerant liquid.

Acordingly, it is a broad object of our invention to provide an improved float valve which eliminates both sticking of the closure member in closed position and leakage causing overflowing of the regenerant tank when the closure member is under fluid pressure tending to cause leakage.

A particular object is to provide in float valve mechanism of the character described, an improved flexible and elastic pressure responsive sealing member having peripheral annular ridge projecting from its upper surface for sealing contact with a radially outwardly spaced zone of a valve seat surrounding a relatively small flow passage or port.

A further object is to provide a valve closure member of the type described which insures ti ht, leakproof sealing of the closure member over a large area of the valve seat even if deposits of solid particles are on the valve seat and When the valve stem is out of alignment or tilted as the closure contacts the seat.

Our invention also includes certain other novel features of construction which Will be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a central vertical sectional view showing our improved valve mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the lower valve closure members in open relation to the valve seat, and on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the valve closure members in closed position;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the resilient, compressible closure member body, and

FIG. 6 is a central, vertical, sectional view showing details of the closure member body.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, our improved valve is of the type having a casing 6 adapted to be submerged in liquid in the container '7, the casing 6 defining a chamber 8. From the chamber 8 a passage 9 extends upwardly and communicates at its upper end with the interior of the container 7. The passage 9 is defined by an upwardly and outwardly flaring wall portion 10 and a cylindrical upper wall portion 11 of a casing member 6a. Vertically elongated stop members 12 are formed in the casing member 6a and have horizointally disposed upper ends 13 which are spaced downwardly from the upper end of the cylindrical Wall portion 11 to afford a stop for downward movement of a valve stem 14. This stem is coaxially disposed in the passage 9 and is movable therein from the full line position to the broken line position shown in FIG. 1.

Fixed on the lower end of the stem 14 within the chamber 8 is a valve closure member indicated generally by the numeral 15 adapted to close the passage 9 at a radially extended seat 16 surrounding the lower end of the passage. The upper end portion of tie stem 14 has an integral head 17 and an annular flange 18 adapted to be supported on the upper ends of the members 1.2 when the stem is at the lower extremity of its movement. A top surface 19 of the cylindrical wall 11 and annular flange 18 form an annular port 24 between them for flow of liquid from the valve easing into the container 7 and from the container into the valve casing. The seat surface of the flange 18 and surface 19 are plane, horizontal surfaces disposed at substantially the same elevation when the stem 14 is in its lowermost position.

A float guide rod 21 is secured at its lower end to the stem 14 in coaxial relation thereto and is guided for limited vertical movement in a bearing opening formed in a guide bracket 22. Mounted coaxially on the rod 21 is a float body 23 having a loosely fitting axial bore through which the guide rod 21 passes. Adjustably secured to the guide rod 21 above the float 23 is an upper limit stop 24 which may be constructed in whole or in part from resilient rubber-like material having an axial bore which fits snugly about the rod 21. Gravity bias of the valve stem 14 toward its lowermost position may be increased by the addition of a weight 24a on the upper side of the stop 24. The surface area of the stop 24 for contact with the upper surface of the float body 23 is minimized by providing a plurality of circumferentially spaced knobs 24b on the bottom surface of the stop 24. This prevents the sticking of the float to the stop when the float is in its high level position.

An annular closure member indicated generally by the numeral 25 is mounted at the lower side of the float body 23 to close the port 2t when the float descends to its low level position. Details of this closure member 25 and its coaction with the seat formed by the flange 13 and wall surface 19 are described and claimed in our copending application Serial No. 115,- 656 for Float Valve Mechanism.

An important feature of the present invention is the construction and arrangement of the closure member 15 in relation to its seat 16. Details of this feature are shown in FEGS. 36. This closure member comprises an annular body 26 of resilient, flexible and compressible material having an annular peripheral ridge 27 projecting from its upper surface for sealing contact with the seat 16 at an annular zone which is spaced radially outwardly from the passage 9. As best shown in FEGS. 3 and the body 26 has a relatively thick central portion 2-3 and a substantially conical lower periphereal surface 29 which is inclined outwardly and upwardly. The angle of the conical surface 29 relative to the horizontal plane through the body 26 is preferably approximately 10 degrees. A suitable degreecf 3 compressibility and flexibility may be obtained by molding the body 26 from a 4050 durometer rubber composition.

Overlying the lower face of the body is a relatively hard and stiff, but somewhat compressible, washer of diameter not substantially less than the diameter of the body 26. The washer 3G may be formed, for example, from a rubber composition of 75-85 durometer hardness. To retain the body 26 and washer 3%) on the lower end portion of the valve stem is, a head 31 may be formed or fixed on the stem to provide an annular shoulder engaging the lower surface of the washer 30, and the body 26 and washer 31) are confined against upward movement by an annular shoulder 32 formed on the stem 14.

A conduit 33 may be provided to alternately supply liquid to the valve casing 6 and withdraw liquid therefrom. This conduit is shown connected at one end to the chamber 8 by a passage 34 terminating ata port at the chamber 8. A suitable check member 36 may be provided in the passage 34 to regulate the rate of flow to and from the chamber 8. This check member, when used in connection with water treatment apparatus is designed to permit flow out of the liquid container 7 through port 35 at a higher rate than the return flow into the chamber 8 through the port 35. As shown, the conduit 33 provides a support for the guide 22 for the rod 21. V

In operation, make-up water or other liquid may be fed to the chamber 8 through the port 35 at pressures above atmospheric pressure and subsequently the brine or other liquid may be withdrawn under sub-atmospheric pressure through the conduit 33. When the float body 23 is in its low level position, indicated in broken lines in FIG. I, the closure member 25 seals the annular port 20 by contact with the horizontal seat surface 19 and top surface of the flange 18 of the stem 14. As the refill flow starts, pressure in the passage 9 raises the closure member 25 from its seat and allows water to pass freely to the container 7 while the float body 23 rises. This refill flow continues while the float body 23 engages the upper stop 24 and then actuates the rod 21 connected to the stem 14 and stem to move the lower closure member 15 to its closed position on its seat 16, as indicated in F168. 1 and 6. Complete closure of the valve at its seat 16 occurs when a quantity of liquid sufiicient to raise the level inthe container 7 to a predetermined high level, such as that indicated at H in FIG. 1, has been added.

With the valve and fio-at in the position shown in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 4, withdrawal of liquid from the container 7 starts when suitable sub-atmospheric pressure is created in the conduit 33 and chamber 8. Liquid is thus withdrawn from the chamber 8 and causes the closure member 15 to be drawn down from its seat 16, opening passage 9 for the flow at a controlled rate from the valve casing through h e passage 34 and conduit 33. Shortly after the withdrawal starts, the annular flange 18 on the valve stem 14 seats on the stop surfaces 13 of the members 12, thereby stopping downward movement of the rod 21 and stem 14. Closure member 25 now remains in open position in the container 7 while the Withdrawal continues and causes the float body 23 to slide down the rod 21 until the closure 'member 25 reaches a low level position in which it closes the port 29 at the annular seat surfaces surrounding this port. Thus the predetermined low ievel, indicated at L, is located at the elevation of the seat ll).

When the valve is moved to the closed position indicated in FIG. 4, the buoyancy of the float 23 combined with the superatmospheric pressure in the chamber 8 of the valve casing is suflicient to deform the body 26 so that the annular ridge 27 is compressed and the adjacent .and radiallyinward surface area of the body 26 is pressed against substantially the entire area of the radially extended seat 15. During this closing movement the ridge 27 first makes contact with an annular zone of relatively small radius and then is moved outwardly so that it wipes away any particles of solid matter that may have been deposited on the first zone of contact with the seat 1:5 thereby insuring a leakproof seal which is retained throughout the period when there is line pres sure in the valve chamber 8. The radially outward flexing of the body 26 and ridge 27 increases the seal ing area. As a further result of the wide sealing area, there is no possibility that the body 26 may be extruded into the passage 9 and thereby cause sticking of the valve in closed position.

When the withdrawal of liquid from chamber 8 starts, the seal between the body 26 and seat 16 is quickly broken due to the atmospheric pressure on the upper face of the body 26 and the sub-atmospheric pressure on the lower side thereof, combined with the natural tendency of the resilient body 26 to free itself from the seat 16 at the surface radially inward from the ridge 27. The forces thus applied to the body 26 and washer 3b are sufiicient to insure quick and positive opening of the passage 9 against the pull in the reverse direction caused by the buoyancy of the float 2.3.

The present invention is an improvement over the brine tank valve described and claimed in Patent No. 2,985,423,'granted May 23, 1961, to E. I. Tischler and B. H. Kryzer. The valve closure member of this patent is similar in some respects to that of the present invention but is of relatively wide diameter and has a rigid connection with the valve stem so that straight line movement of the stem perpendicularly to the valve seat is essential to successful operation and sealing contact of the closure member with the valve seat.

An important characteristic of the resilient and compressible body 26 of the present invention is its adaptability to close and seal at its seat 16 even when the stem 14 is tilted or out of alignment with theaxis of the passage 9. Such tilting of the stem may be caused by maladjustment of the guide 22 for the rod 21 or by imperfections in the stem 14 or guide surface of the casing member 6a. As the body 26 closes against the seat 16, with the axis of the stem 14 at an angle to its seat 16 as great as the angle of the generatrix of the conical surface 29 to said seat surface, the body 26 compensates for the angle by tilting and being compressed by the Washer 30. This has been demonstrated by numerous tests of our invention.

We claim:

1. Valve closure means adapted to close against a radially extending annular seat surrounding a flow passage comprising, an annular body of resilient compressible material having a peripheral annular ridge projecting from a seat contact face of said body for sealing contact with an annular zone of said seat which is radially outwardly spaced from said passage, a second and oppositely disposed face of said annular body having a projecting central portion and a substantially conical surface extending radially and obliquely from said central portion toward the plane of said seat contact face of said body, a compressible washer of diameter not substantially less than the diameter of said annular body overlying said relatively thick central portion of said body in normally spaced relation to said substantially conical surface, and means for guiding said body for movement to and from said seat, said resilient body being sufliciently flexible and compressible to be deformed to contact substantially the entire radially extending surface of said seat by pressure applied to said second face and washer.

2. 'Valve closure means in accordance with claim 1 in which said means for guiding said body for movement to and from said seat comprises an axially disposed stem extending through coaxially disposed openings in said annular body and washer, and means for confining said annular body and washer on said stem.

3. Valve closure means in accordance with claim 2 in which an annular zone of said seat contact face of the annular body is normally ofiset from said seat when said annular ridge makes contact with the seat, and said annular ridge is expanded radially in contact with said seat 5 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. VALVE CLOSURE MEANS ADAPTED TO CLOSE AGAINST A RADIALLY EXTENDING ANNULAR SEAT SURROUNDING A FLOW PASSAGE COMPRISING, AN ANNULAR BODY OF RESILIENT COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL HAVING A PERIPHERAL ANNULAR RIDGE PROJECTING FROM A SEAT CONTACT FACE OF SAID BODY FOR SEALING CONTACT WITH AN ANNULAR ZONE OF SAID SEAT WHICH IS RADIALLY OUTWARDLY SPACED FROM SAID PASSAGE, A SECOND AND OPPOSITELY DISPOSED FACE OF SAID ANNULAR BODY HAVING A PROJECTING CENTRAL PORTION AND A SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL SURFACE EXTENDING RADIALLY AND OBLIQUELY FROM SAID CENTRAL PORTION TOWARD THE PLANE OF SAID SEAT CONTACT FACE OF SAID BODY, A COMPRESSIBLE WASHER OF DIAMETER NOT SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID ANNULAR BODY OVERLYING SAID RELATIVELY THICK CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID BODY IN NORMALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL SURFACE, AND MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID BODY FOR MOVEMENT TO AND FROM SAID SEAT, SAID RESILIENT BODY BEING SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE AND COMPRESSIBLE TO BE DEFORMED TO CONTACT SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE RADIALLY EXTENDING SURFACE OF SAID SEAT BY PRESSURE APPLIED TO SAID SECOND FACE AND WASHER. 